Material-storage plant



March 17, 1931. D. E. WHITE 1,796,549

MATERIAL STORAGE PLANT Filed May 2, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fifyezzhr jay/0 1 W12? March 17, 1931. D. E. WHITE MATERIAL STORAGE PLANT Filed May 2. 1 27 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 MIL 02777:.

M h 1931- D. E. WHITE MATERIAL STQRAGE PLANT Filed May 2. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 .Q l f a la 1 I latented Mar. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DAVID E. WHITE, OF LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR- TO ROBERTS & SCHAEJEER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS v MATERIAL-STORAGE PLANT Application filed May 2, 1927. Serial No. 188,121.

My invention relates to a ground storage plant for sand and relates to sand storage plants primarily for storage use. One object of my invention is to provide a sand storage plant of maximum capacity at minimum expense. Another object is the provision of: a sandstorage and drying plant wherein the sand may be readily and easily withdrawn from the storage pile and dried. 'Another object is the provision of means for withdrawing'sand for'drying and use, from the interior of an outdoor sand pile. Other objects will appear from time to time in the course of the specification and claims. r

I illustrate my invention more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is-a vertical section;

Figure 2 is a'section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specificationand drawings.

A indicates a supporting surface which may be the outside ground surface and which may of course be leveled and surfaced to suit the particular needs. In many cases it is preferable to employ a smooth surfaced coating-A which may be of cement or the like. It will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the use of such a surface. A represents a pile of sand, herein shown as a cone the angle of which is determined by the angle of repose of the sand.

Positioned within the pile is a dryer chamber indicated generally as B and having the foundations B thewalls B and the roof B B indicates an opening in the side of said chamber communicating with a tunnel B having the walls B and the roof B. B is a door in the side of the chamber, herein shown as opposite the door B", which may be closed in any suitable manner, for example by the gates 13. The tunnel extends toand through the vertical retaining wall B which with the communicating retaining walls B 2, cuts out a space "in the side of the otherwise conic completed pile. B is a ramp in line with the door B and a platform grating B ex;

The roof B of the chamber is provided with a plurality of hopper inlets C, herein shown as three in number; They are continued within the chamber itself for example by the surrounding apronC to which are pivoted the gates C controlled for example by the levers C Aligned with the inlets is the drying hopper G provided for example with the steam pipes C forming three sepa rate hoppers. I do not wish to be limited to any specific dryer but I find a steam dryer satisfactory. The hoppers discharge to the inclined screens C within the hopper apron C It will be understood that the oversize and refuse passes by gravity downwardly across said screen and is discharged upon the receiving surface C for removal. 1

The hopper-C feeds the dried cleaned sand to the sand drum D, the passage of the sand to the drum being controlled by the valve D whichin turn is controlled by the lever D and the counterweight D When the weight of the sand within the hopper overcomes the counterweight sand pours into the drum and fills it. D indicates a compressed air line connected to the sand drum D at two points and controlled by'a valve D 1) is a sand elevating pipe positioned within the sand drum and in line with one inlet of the compressed air line D; and continuingto any suitable bin or hopper not shown in the drawings. Upon the opening of the valve 'D the compressed air will blow the dried sand into the sand elevating pipe, discharging it into the bin for storing.

E indicate tracks upon which maybe positioned the sand car E for discharge. 7 E is a hopper beneath the track beneath which is a loader or delivery means E the details of which form 110 part of the presentinvention. E is a pit beneath the hopper E into which extend the inclined conveyor tracks E along which rides thebucket E 7 The tracks are mounted upon any suitable supporting frame work, which include the inclined members E the vertical frame members E and the various transverse braces E.

E indicates a platform at the top of the frame work having a horizontal conveyor track E upon which ride the front wheels E of the bucket E and inclined tracks E in line with the tracks E which are spaced further apart to accommodate the rear wheels E of the bucket. By this is meant that the bucket is suspended as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.

G indicates any suitable flexible cable connected to the bale G of the bucket E It passes about the head sheave G and downwardly to the automatic hoist G in the hoist house G. The motive means and control of said hoist do not of themselves form part of the present invention.

H indicates a vent pipe extending upward ly from the chamber B through the sand pile, and terminating at or above the level of the platform E.

It will be realized that whereas I have shown and described a practical and operative device nevertheless many changes might be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative and diagrammatic rather than as limiting me to my specific showing.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

It has been customary in the past to store sand in relatively restricted enclosed hoppers or chambers or towers. I have developed a method of and apparatus for storing and handling sand which enormously increases the tonnage of sand which can be handled by a given plant, which greatly cuts down the initial expense of the installation, and which provides an installation which can be operated at large capacities and at minimum cost. I provide an enclosed chamber B adjacent the sand receiving point. The sand may be delivered from the cars to any suitable conveyor, herein shown as bucket conveyor, and may be discharged above the chamber 13. The result, in the particular embodiment of my invention herein shown, is a conic pile which covers and surrounds the drying chamber. Access is had to the chamber through the tunnel B and ventilation is maintained by means of the vent pipe II which extends above the maximum height of the pile. In the typical installation herein shown the pile may contain, for example, 2500 tons of sand. The apex of the pile and the portion of the pile directly overlying the chamber, to the quantity of say 400 tons, may be permitted to flow downwardly by gravity through the inlets C in the roof B of the chamber. These inlets may be controlled in any suitable manner, for example by the pivot gates C and the sand so delivered is permitted to pass to sand dryers for drying. The sand, when dried, flows across the inclined screen C and the dried sand passes to the sand drum. Sand from the sand drum is propelled, as earlier described for disposal and use exteriorly of the chamber and pile.

When the upper lOO tons have been drawn oil through the sand gates the sand above the roof B of the container amounting to say 50 tons, may be shoveled into the sand gates. The sand pile may be replenished and it may, under some circumstances, prove desirable to maintain continuously above the chamber a sufficient head of sand to permit gravity withdrawal. Qn the other hand, if the height of the sand pile is lowered the gate B may be opened and sand ma y be brought in therethrough for delivery to the drying hoppers. Preferably a passageway is shoveled through the pile, which by this time has become a ring about the chamber, and the sand may be brought in by wheelbarrow up the ramp B and along the platform B within the chamber, for delivery to the drying hoppers.

I claim:

1. The method of handling sand which includes piling said sand, laterally unconfined, above and about a sand drying area, interiorly withdrawing said sand and drying it, within said pile, and removing it from the interior of the pile, when dried, for use exteriorly of such pile.

2. The method of handling sand which includes liormnig a pile of laterally unconfined sand, drying sand within the interior of? such pile, and withdrawing the dried sand from such pile.

8. The method ot' handling sand which includes forming a pile of laterally uncon lined sand, drying sand within the interior of such pile, separating the refuse from such sand, after the drying of the sand and before it is withdrawn and withdrawing the dried and cleaned sand from the interior of such pile.

l. The method of handling sand which includes conveying sand, laterally unconfined, above a drying area, delivering it by gravity thereabove and thereabont to make a pile the form of which is determined by the angle of repose of the sand, and withdrawing and drying sand from the interior of such pile.

5. The method of handling sand which includes forming a pile of laterally unconfined sand, interiorly withdrawing, by gravity, the uppermost sand of the pile and drying it in a drying Zone positioned within and onclosed by the complete pile, and subsequently conveying the sand in the lower portions of said pile laterally to said drying zone, when the upper part of the pile has been withdrawn and dried.

6. The method of handling sand which includes forming a pile of sand, intoriorly withdrawing, by gravity, the uppermost sand of the pile and drying it in a drying zone positioned within and enclosed by the co1n plete pile, cleaning the sand so withdrawn in the interior of said pile, and subsequently conveying the sand in the lower portion of said pile laterally to said drying and cleaning zone after the uppermost sand of the pile has been exhausted.

7 A sand handling installation which includes a conveyor adapted to receive sand and to release it above the pile to be formed, a housing positioned beneath the point of discharge of such conveyor, and, in normal use of the installation, adapted to be surrounded by the pile so formed, a sand inlet in such housing, and means for controlling the passage of sand therethrough, a sand dryer within the housing, adapted to receive and dry the sand admitted within the housing.

8. A sand handling installation which in cludes a conveyor adapted to receive sand and to release it above the pile to be formed, a housing positioned beneath the point of discharge of such conveyor, and, in normal use of the installation, adapted to be surrounded by the pile so formed, a sand inlet in such housing, and means for controlling the passage of sand therethrough, a sand dryer within the housing,- adapted to receive and dry the sand admitted within the housing, and cleaning means Within the housing.

9. A sand handling installation which includes a conveyor adapted to receive sand and to release it above the pile to be formed, a housing positioned beneath the point of discharge of such conveyor, and, in normal use of the installation, adapted to be surrounded by the pile so formed, a sand inlet in such housing, and means for controlling the passage of sand therethrough, a sand dryer Within the housing, adapted to receive and dry the sand admitted within the housing, an air-tight container and means for delivering thereto the dried sand and means for pneumatically exhausting sand from said container.

10. A sand handling installation which includes a conveyor adapted to receive sand and to release it above the pile to be formed, a housing positioned beneath the point of discharge of such conveyor, and, in normal use of the installation, adapted to be surrounded by the pile so formed, a sand inlet in such housing, and means for controlling the passage of sand therethrough, a sand dryer within the housing, adapted to receive and dry the sand admitted within the housing, cleaning means within the housing, an air-tight container and means for delivering thereto the dried sand and means for pneumatically exhausting sand from said =3 container.

dryer within the chamber, adapted to receive and dry the sand admitted into the chagiber, and means for conveying the dried san 12. A sand handling installation which includes a sand dryer chamber, a pile of laterally unconfined sand thereabout and thereabove, a sand inlet in said chamber and means for controlling the passage of sand therethrough from the pile, a sand dryer Within the chamber, adapted to receive and dry the sand admitted into the chamber and means for conveying the dried sand from said chamber.

13. A sand handling installation which includes a sand drying chamber, a pile of laterally unconfined sand thereabout and thereabove, a sand inlet in the upper portion of said chamber adapted to permit the passage of sand by gravity therethrough, and means for controlling the passage of sand therethrough from the pile, an additional inlet in the side of the chamber, a sand dryer Within the chamber adapted to receive and dry the sand admitted into the chamber, and means for conveying the dried sand from said chamber.

14:. A sand handling installation which includes a sand drying chamber, a pile of sand thereabout and thereabove, a sand inlet in the upper portion of said chamber adapted to permit the passage of sand by gravity therethrough, and means for controlling the passage of sand therethrough from the pile, an additional inlet in the side of the chamber, a sand dryer within the chamber adapted to receive and dry the sand admitted into the chamber, means for cleaning the sand, and means for conveying the dried and cleaned sand from said chamber.

15. A sand handling installation which includes a sand dryer chamber, a passage extending to said chamber, means for depositing a pile of laterally unconfined sand above and about said chamber, a sand inlet in said chamber and means for controlling the passage of sand therethrough, a sand dryer within said chamber andmeans for conveying the dried sand from said chamber.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, this 21st day of April, 1927.

DAVID E. WHITE. 

